, 1887-12-08
CAMPANINI CONCERT.
A Fine Audience at the Opera
House
Give a Cordial Greeting TO Noted
Vocalists.
Some of the Salient Features of the
Performance.

1t was a large and on the whole an en-
thusiastic audience which assembled in
the opera house last evening to hear the
Campanini Opera company. During the
entire season there has not been assem-
bled a more fashionable as there certainly
has not been a more discriminating
audience.
The entertainment was divided into
two parts, the first of which wad devoted
to a concert while the second was given
up to the third act of Gounod's Faust"
The first striking feature on the pro-
gramme was "Rhapsodie Hongroise,"
which was superbly executed by Signora
Torriceli. Her facile bowling, the bril-
liancy of her execution and the penetrat-
Ing richness of the notes, took
the audience by storm and
called forth an enthusiastic
encore. On her second appearance she
was rapturously received, and her per-
%formance. particularly the mazurka from
Weinlawski, emphasized the first impress
sion and lett with the audience the mem
cries of some enhancing strains from the
violin.
A duet b, Signors Baldini and Galassi
was received with favor, but the admira-
BILE phrasing of Mozart's Non piu
Andrai'' by Signor Galassi in a subse-
quent solo, coupled with his rich and
rounded vecalization, drew forth emphatic
encores hat mere formal acknowledge
ment failed to crafty.
The event which was looked forward to
most eagerly was the appearance of
Madame Scalehi, a contralto of world
wide repute. Her reputation, great as it
is, was well sustained last evening. The
extraordinary compass of her vocal range,
its purity and brilliancy, and the ease
with which the most daring heights were
scaled, gave an impression of strength and
power which even those who know little
of the technical rules of music, might well
appreciate and applaud. To the encore
which she received she responded with a
formal bow, but the tumultuous applause
at length forced her to sing a second
number.
Signora Repetto, the prima donna
soprano, made her debut in an aria from
Bellini. Repetto Is not, strictly speaking,
a captivating creature to gaze upon. 1t
is perhaps only just to say hat the alti-
tude is a crucial test to the capabilities of
the best vocalists, and for this reason it is
scarcely fair to judge them rigidly by the
rules which should govern under other
circumstances Repetto's voice is a high
soprano, rather thin in quality and with
y metallic favor that detracts from its
agreeableuess. In her performance last
evening she scarcely realized the expecta-
tons that had been raised regarding her.
Campanini was down for two numbers
on the programme. His first appearance
was greeted with a tumult of applause.
His performance shows that he has re-
gained the full powers OF his magnificent
voice, which it was supposed he bad lost
forever. He easily shared the vocal
honors of the performance with Scalchi.
OF the rendition of the third act from
Gounod's Faust very little need be said.
1t was not ar artistic success. Repetto is
not an ideal Marguerite; indeed it may be
said that a better antithesis could scarcely
be imagined. While several numbers of
the concert will be long remembeIed with
keen pleasure, the third act from Faust
will never envoke that solemn intellectual
satisfaction which presentations of really
high opera are calculated to inspire.
Rhodes & Guertin deserve praise for
giving Cheyenne a chance to occasionally
revel in the pleasure OF listening to oper-
attic celebrities.